THE 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



OF 



Col. Jonathan Burnham 



OF 



Salisbury, Massachusetts 



REPRODUCED 



In facsimile from the original printed 

at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1814 

with an introduction 




SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 
December, 1909 



t-^ 



THE 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



OF 



Col. Jonathan Burnham 



OF 



Salisbury, Massachusetts 



REPRODUCED 



In facsimile from the original printed 

at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1814 

with an introduction 




SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 
December, 1909 



EIGHTY-EIGHT COPIES 

PRINTED FOR 
GEORGE FRANCIS DOW 



^^ 






HISTORICAL NOTE 



The hero of the following narrative, a son of Essex County, 
was born June 9th, 1738, at Chebacco parish, Ipswich, Massa- 
chusetts, in what is now the town of Essex. He was the son 
of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Proctor) Burnham, and the eldest 
of a family of eleven children. He relates that he married 
the daughter of his " good old master." She was Abigail 
Ross, the daughter of Samuel and Abigail Ross of Ipswich. 
This event took place in October (intention of marriage, Oc- 
tober 3d), 1 76 1. Her father's house then stood on the ledge 
nearly opposite where the Ipswich Female Seminary after- 
wards was located, and beside the house was the small black- 
smith shop where Jonathan Burnham was taught " the art 
and craft" of smithing. In the summer of 1763 he re- 
moved to Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, where he bought 
the old Swett tavern, and continued in this occupation until 
some time during the Revolutionary war. The liberty pole 
that he speaks of raising was probably erected upon the hill 
near this tavern. After the war he opened a tavern in another 
house, and there he remained until about 1 797, when he re- 
moved to SaHsbury, the adjoining town, just over the Massa- 
chusetts line, where he died in 1823. 

He does not seem to have been a leading figure in town 
affairs, save in military matters, in which he was always very 
active and continued to sustain the reputation he had gained 
as a good soldier in two wars — a man of courage and ability. 
The historian of Hampton Falls records the circumstances 
of the last public appearance of Colonel Burnham. It was at 
a Fourth of July celebration held on Powwow hill. Dressed 
in full Continental uniform, his long white hair streaming be- 
hind him as he approached on horseback, the colonel is said 
to have presented a splendid and impressive figure. On reach- 



ing the top of the hill he was greeted with an ovation befitting 
his rank and long and distinguished military service. A toast 
in his honor was proposed. The reply was characteristic of 
the man. " Our Country must hve and fill her destiny. Our 
distinguished soldier and friend George Washington said so, 
and I, Colonel Burnham, with the blue heaven above me and 
the broad ocean before me, call upon all true sons of America, 
upon this broadsword, which did service at Bunker Hill, to 
swear it shall be so." This rousing sentiment, uttered by the 
Colonel as he sat upright upon his horse, swaying his sword 
about him as if he would repel the enemy, was greeted with 
loud applause, and a national salute was fired, and while the 
punch was stirred, the hearts of the assembled patriots were 
stirred as well. 

The doughty Colonel's narrative, which follows, is repro- 
duced in facsimile from a copy which formerly was the prop- 
erty of Eugene Noyes of Amesbury, and now is in the pos- 
session of his son, Edward Noyes, through whose courtesy it 
is here presented. The only other known example is pre- 
served in the Force collection at the Congressional Library in 
Washington. This somewhat vain-glorious account of per- 
sonal achievement preserves some record of two events of 
much interest in Salem and vicinity : — the rescue of seventy 
shipwrecked men and women from the Isle of Sable, by Cap- 
tain Selman, who sailed for " King " Hooper of Marblehead, 
some contemporaneous account of which may be found in the 
January 26 and February 9, 1761 issues of the Boston Ga- 
zette, and secondly, a short account of the " Ipswich Fright," 
so picturesquely described by John Greenleaf Whittier, and 
also mentioned by Coffin, the historian of Newbury. 

G. F. D. 



THE 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



OF 



GoL. Jonathan Burnham 



LIFE 



OF 



CoL Jonathan JBurnham, 

NovT living in Salisbury, Mafs. % 

Being a Narrative of his long and ufeful Life, 
CONTAINING 

A RECITAL OF 

Highly Interefling Incidents, 

RelativQ to the Revolutionary Services and private 

life, <)f this diftinguifhed Soldier and Friend 

of the departed and beloved 

'^cora& rVad/ilnaton. 



PORTSMOUTH : 

Printed ^nd sold at S. Whidden*s Printing OfEcC; 
Spring. Hill.— -May 1814* 



A HISTORY 



OF r«z 



Moft Remarkable Things of my Life ; 

ly Jonathan Burnham^ 

the fourthy^as bom at Chebaccq, June the 9th, 1738, 
where I faw many remarkable things, the firft I went with 
my parents a Sunday morning to hear the Rev. Mr. Pick- 
ering preach, and as I got to the meeting houfe, the minif- 
ter and people ran out- for fear the houfe would fall on 
them, for the earth did (hake and after fonietime the minif- 
ter fays to the people we will go in for we are as fafe there 
as any where, and the whole of them went, in and was very 
attentive to hear him pray and preach, and the people was 
greatly alarmed and was concerned what they fhouid do to 
be faved, and went from houfe to houfe to pray with and 
for one another, and the Lord fent two brothers Mr. John 
and' Ebenezer Gleavland, and the people built a houfe and 
fettIM John Gleavland, whofe labours were greatly blefled, 
ibr in one year ninety perfons were taken into his Church 
and many more wonderful things happened ; the throat 
diftemper killed many 'of, my mates and many little chil- 
dren, and two other things I merely efcaped being drown- 
ed, but the Lord preferved me from a watery grave and 
jnany more wonderful things I remembered ; and when I 
was but fifteen years old, I went to live at Ipfwich town, 
with ' Mr. Samuel Rofs, to learn a blackfmiths trade, and 



"was bound *o him,— a good old man that built his houfe 
upon a rock and brought his family up in the nurture inid 
admonition of the Lord, where I lived 'till I was nineteen 
years of age, and then I bought my time and enliftcd in 
the fervice of King George the fecond, and flung my pack 
and marched to Fort Edward, where I llept fwpetiy, and 
the next day I flung my pack and followed my Colonel 7 
miles to half way Brook Port Halfway to Lake George, 
where my Colonel was ordered to halt and keep that Fort, 
and guard the teams to Lake George that fold provifion to 
General Abercrombie^s army. Early one morning the In- 
dians gave us battle, and killed 26 of our brave men and 
fcalped them, and ran into the woods to Canada and fold 
their fcalps for a guinea a fcalp to the French who was 
worfe than the Indians themfelves, as it was fard, then Gen. 
Abercrombie ordered my Colonel to lead on his men to 
Lake George, and he crofs*d the Lake of a Thurfday and 
landed, and Friday marched his army to take Ticonderoga 
Fort, where he was beat and Bid retreat back to his old en- 
campment with his weedon his hat draging on the ground ! 
with the lofs of more than nineteen hundred men \ where I 
carried till my time, was out, this was in the year of '58, 
and then i was honorably difmified and returned back to 
my good old mafler to Ipfwich, who was glad to fee me 
alive, where I remained 'till the year '59, and then I enliil- 
ed again under the brave General Wolf, who went and did 
take Canada ; and I enlifted again in the year '60 to fmifh 
the war, which gave me much pleafure and then I was hon- 
orably difmified at Lewifburg, and fhipped with capt. John 
Potter, of Ipfwich, to fail with him to the place of my na- 
tivity, and We failed a Friday and loft our fails in a gale of 
tvind, and a Sunday was clofe to the We of Sables, where 
Vie dropt anchor and rode until our windlefs bitts gave way, 
and cut our cable and afhore we went on the Illand cold 
' ables, this was the fifth of December '60, where we all 
got alhore alive and glad was we, for God's goodnefs was 
•wonderful to us "in preferving our lives from a watery grave, 
and we all laid down on a land nole and llept alike. A 
boar that was Ihot when he was afieep and carried him 



home and fent a paVt to captjiin Furlongs men, of Newbury^j 
who ^as caft afhore 3 weeks before we were, who hoifted 
a flag on a pole and a veiTel belonged to Marblehead car- 
ried the news, and as two fiihermen was miffing, the Lord 
and King Hooper fent the good old Archelaus Silmen to 
come to the Ifle of Sables after us^and the Lord rewarded 
hiiTi for his good works, for he took feventy. men and wo- 
men J) ut while we waited on the Ifland for-^ the good old 
Silmen I fhoulJered my gunjand went 14 miles toward the 
Northweft barr— up jumpt a fow and I {hot her. through 
the heart, arid had it and -the liver and lights for fupper, 
and it was fweet as honey and then I killed a bull, 18 miles 
from our houfe and carried it home which was January '61, 
and then I ffiouldered my "gun and was all alone and I fhot 8 
balls into a great bull who tried tokill me, but I was his 
mafter and glad was I, for the bull and I had it tough and 
tough, and then 1 was beat out but got home that night, 
and told my n^efTmate^ to take the hand fled and haul; the 
J)ull home, and 3 days after uhic.h. was January 18, ccme 
the good old Sihiian and took us all off the Ifle of Sables, 
feventy in number, and carried iis to Halifax, and left Fur- 
long and 60 men and women and then good old Archelous 
Silmen brought captain Potter and. his crew ten in number 
into Marblehead, where. we rejoiced and was glad and gave 
him the good old man one hundred filver dollars, and as 
many thanks, arid got home to Ipfwich, the place of our na- 
livity, where we had gladnefs and joy for God*s goodnefs in 
pref(?rving us from a watery grave, and returning us hpme 
to our friends who were glad to fee, us alive, and my good 
old'mafter that built his houfe upon a rock, fays to me Jon- 
athan we read that a faithful feirant ihall be a dutiful fon at 
length, and gave me his eldcil daughter to wife, who was a 
beauty and loved me as her eyes, where we lived 'till July 
'C3, and then we moved to Hamptdnfalls in Newhamplhire 
on a place I bought where we lived and did profper, for a 
molt forty jpzys, and as I had been in the Britifli fervice 3 
years to learn ihe art of var — the tc^wn of Hatrplon-Falis 
chofe me to.be.their captain, and I received my cc^n missim 
signed by Gev. Wentwonh and feakd whh King George's 



6 

1^1, and all things went on very well 'till King George 
ftjnt that "foolifli Gage to Bofton who was neither weight 
nor meafure, to burn our towns and kill our men at Lex- 
ingtorf, aad Gov, Wentworth joined the Briti/h, and I was 
angry and raifed a Liberty pole on th^ hill as high as Ha- 
man.s gallows was to hang Mordecai on, which was my a- 
larm poll, and in the morning ths news came to me, that 
the Britifh had iqarched to Lexington and killed our men, 
and I ordered my drums to beat and gave my company 
fomething to drink, and marched on to Ipfwich that night, 
which was twenty miles in half a day, and in the morning 
we muftered about two hundred men, who chofe me to be 
their captain, and' the town was alarmed becaufe two Men 
of Wars tenders were in the river full of men, and would 
land and tnke twenty Britifii fokliers out of a gaol that was 
taken priloners at Lexington battle, and would burn the 
.town, fo we ftayed that day and night and that night was 
rainy and theBririfh landed at Marfhfield to fleal catjile and 
left the woods a fire, and the, Newbury people that heard 
that Ipfwich was burnt and that I and my men were all 
killed and that the Britifh was coming to burn Newbury ; 
and the people were airaid and got boars to get over the 
river to ran into the woods, and that .news went to Exeter 
that night, and very foon to Concord, that I and my officers 
were all Hilk'd, and in a few days I had a Colonels commif- 
fion to raif^ one quarter part of Portfmou'th, Dover, Hamp- 
ton and Exeter militia as minute men, and General Sulli-' 
van came to mc to march off to Portfmouth with a thou- 
fand, nien to fortify and defend it from being burnt as the 
Briiilh had burnt Fahnourh, and in twenty-tpur hours I 
and a tlioufand -men vvere^ Wc Fort Wafnington to give the 
Bridfli b2\ttle Vv'here we flayed about three'months, then 
ca;ne a fifty gun fliip to anchor one night, and in the morn- 
ing at brake of day I and ipy men were ready to give her 
battle,- but fliewas afraid and went off, and in a few days 
the G<jinmittec of fafety that fet at Portfmouth in recefs of 
Congrefs, fent for me to hear two letters read from Gene- 
ral Wafhington and General Sullivan, the contents were 
<hat they exp'jdc'd the Britifh .would . give them battle, and 



for the committee to fdnd me on to Miftick with thrrty^ne 
compames of New-Hampfhire Militia, and the committee 
defired me to enlift four companies of my men that was on 
Fort Wafhington, and when I alked my mea four compa- 
nies they faid yes, we will all go with you, and marched 
that day and got to Miftick in three -days and nights, and 
twenty.feven companies followed on, ^nd was into Miftick 
in a few days, and the committee delivered me the two let. 
ters to carry to the two Generals to Winterhifl and Cam. 
bridge, and I mounted my horfe which earned me in lefs 
than one day, and WASHINGTON fmiles and fays Nzw- 
Hampshire. forever ; and further fays to Sullivan 
mount your horfe, and ride on with Col. Burnham to Mif- 
tick, and open all your florcs to New-Hampfhire Militia- - 
without weight or meafure, and go to the good men in Mif- 
tick who will be glad of Col. Burnham *s men for they are 
afraid that the Britifli that burnt Charleflon will come and 
burn Miftick, and fays to Col. Burnham do your beft for 
the honor of New-Hampfhire : and kill the Britiih if they 
dare to come, but they were afraid of my Brigade ; and 
toward the lad of January 'y6 I received orders from^Gen. 
Washington that he would meet Nevz-Hampfhire Mili' 
tia to-morrow at Winterhill, to review (hem, and I mount- 
ed my horfe and ^t 9 o'clock formed my Brigade and 
inarched to Winterhill with my band of mufic fifty files 
and drums, that the Britifh might hear and fee we were 
come on to Winterhill, to try our fkill, which gave the 
Brmfh afright to quit Bunkerhill in the night, and the Brit- 
ilh army and fleet made a quick retreat, and the Boftoa 
people were glad to fee' it. Where we remained 'till hon- 
orably difmilfed by our Hon. General Wafijington and re- 
ceived his thanks for our fervices and love being ready at 
his call from New-Hampfhire, and his bleffings that we 
might return home to our families and friends in fafett, 
^here we refled awhile and then part of us went to help take 
Burgoine, Comwallis and their armies, and then we had 
oup independence from Great Britain, and peace and plenty 
and the love of the whole world, and were the happieft na- 
tion m the world. But God rauft have aU the glory ;-. 



$ 

and our ■mlniftei's v/em >Arcrthy like Jacob who wreftled 'till 
brake of day, that Gdd would blefs Wafliington ancl Ame- 
rica, and the world of mankind. Amen and Amen. And 
now r am an old man this day feventy-Eve years old and 
but jud alive, and what I .ha;ve wrote I have feen and known 
to be true. 

- And now 1 mud fay this war is harder to me than three 
years fervice- "under King George the fecond to help take 
Canada, which was the middle wall of partition between 
the Indians and America, and now I have no King but Je- 
fus, who fays be ye angry but do not fmj-and you may fee 
that I am angry ; — and fee Luke xiv, 31, which fays what 
King goeth to war with ten thoufand againfl another King 
that hath twenty thoufand, without firft counting the coli 
whether he be able or not 5 and what King goeth to war 
with one thoufand againft England that hath more than 
one hundred thoufand, and now if you aint blind and deaf 
you may fee and hear drums a beating, colours flying, can- 
non roaring, men a dying, and garments rolled in blood, 
and call thefe the nobleft eSefts of war, a dreadful war. 
And now the gold is become dim, and the moft fine gold 
is changed j and America is undone, for if we Should take 
Canada it is not worth the life of one man, to America, and 
I think they have loft, taken and killed already more than 
ten thoufand brave officers and men, and have fpent not 
lels than forty millions of dollars, which would have pdd 

Congrefs for many years for other fervices and trouble. 

Jonathan Burnham. 

Salijkury, (Mafs.J May ij, 1814. 



v\H 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



011 699 172 P 




